Washing-machine



(No Model.)

e. W. WHEATLY.

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Feb 3&9 @item/Leido THE NDRRIS PETERS C0., PHBYO-LITH., WASHINGYDN. D. C.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCEa GEORGE lV. IVHEATLY, OF HARRODSBURG, KENTUCKY.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,906A dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed January 25, 1890. Serial No. 338,096. (No model.)

' T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that'I, GEORGE lV. VHEATLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at llarrodsburg, in the county of Mercer and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful lVa-shing-lllachine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of washing-machines in which a drum or cylinder adapted to contain the clothes is mounted revolubly in a suitable boiler, and in which live steam is supplied to the interior of the said revoluble drum for the purpose of assisting in the cleansing of the'garments placed therein.

The invention has for its object to provide as nearly a steam-tight joint as may be between the revoluble drum and the supplementary boiler; and it has for a further object to construct a device which shall be in all respects simple, eiiicient, inexpensive, and easily operated.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts, which will hereinafter be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the axis of the revolving cylinder. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line m of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 'is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 designates a Wash-boiler of ordinary construction and rectangular in shape, having a semi-cylindrical cover 2. The upper edges of the sides of said boiler are provided with bearings 3, in which the revoluble drum or cylinder 4 is mounted. Said revoluble drum is constructed in the usual manner of sheet metal and is provided with a hinged lid 5, through which access may be had to the interior for the purpose of placing the garments to be washed therein. lnteriorly in the drum are arranged several transverse ribs 6 for the purpose of assisting in agitating the contents, and the sides of the drum or cylinder are provided with perforations 7 to admit the water Atically steamftight joint.

from the boiler. Centrally upon one end of the drum is secured' a trunnion 8, having a handle or crank 9, by means of which the drum may be rotated. Centrally upon the opposite end of the drum is mounted a tubular trunnion 10, which is in alignment with a' perforation 1l in the wall of the drum. This tubular trunnion is provided at its outer end with an interior annular rib or flange 12, the function of which willbe hereinafter set forth. The solid and the tubular trunnion are each provided with radiating arms 13 to receive the rivets 14, by means of which they are secured to the ends of the drum-cylinder.

l5 designates the supplementary boiler, which may be rectangular inr shape, so as to iit'against the side of the main boiler 1, as will be seen in the drawings. The said supplementary boiler is provided with an opening or filling-tube 1G, having a screw cap or cover 17, and the said supplementary boiler is likewise provided with an escape-tube 18 for the purpose of conveying the live steam from the supplementary boiler to the interior of the. drum or cylinder. Said supplementary tube is made tapering, as shown, and is constructed of a single piece of metal, which is bent so as to forni an elbow, the horizontal portion of which is adapted to enter the outer end of the tubular trunnion 10. It will be seen that when the said tapering steam-tube is forced lightly into the tubular trunnion it will engage the annular rib 12, formed at the outer. end of the latter, and thus form a prac- This at the saine time will not prevent the drum or cylinder from being easily revolved.

The main boiler is provided with lugs or flan ges 20, having screw-threaded perforations 22 for the reception of thumb-screws 21, eX- tending through perforations in lugs 23 upon the supplementary boiler. The two boilers may thus be connected for operation and drawn up together suiciently to keep the joint between the steam-pipe andjthe tubular trunnion always steam tight.

Upon the inner side of the drum or cylinder is mounted a convex plate 24, covering the perforation 1l at the inner end of the tubular trunnion and having numerous perforations 25. This is for vthe purpose of preventing the clothes contained in the cylinder from clicking the tubular trunnion, and thus interfering with the admission of steam.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings. The garments to be washed are placed in the drum or eylinder,wl1ieh latter is then adjusted in the boiler l, in which a suitable quantity of soapsuds is likewise placed. The boiler l is then placed upon the stove and connected with the supplementary boiler, the live steam from which enters the drum or cylinder, which is being meanwhile slowly rotated. The clothes will thus be subjected to a continuous gentle agitation and will be cleansed speedily and etfcctively and without being subjected to injurious rubbing or friction.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a Washing-machine, the combination of the main boiler having the plates 20, provided with screw-threaded perforations, the revoluble drum or cylinder mounted in said boiler and having a tubular trnnnion, the supplementary boiler having` the perforated plates or lugs 225, the set-screws 21, and the tapering L-shaped steam-pipe extending from the supplementary boiler into the tubular trnnnion of the drum or cylinder mounted in the main boiler, all arranged as described, whereby by tightening the set-screws the boilers may be drawn together to effect a steam-tight joint between the steam-pipe and the tubular trunnion, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

G. W. WI'IEATLY.

\Vitncsses:

WM. B. ALLIN, W. D. POWELL. 

